Therapeutic Heart Pad

ABSTRACT

Provided is a post-operative pillow garment for therapeutic use by patients recovering from chest or abdominal surgery, particularly heart surgery, and having two detachable members wherein the members include a front member and rear member. The front member and rear member can be attached to one another via adjustable shoulder and torso straps forming a vest-like garment, covering the front and back midsection region of the patient and extending from the cervical area to the navel. The front member includes a soft stuffing or padded material intended to act as a pillow for compression when coughing, sneezing and the like, wherein the rear member may be padded for comfort. The post-operative pillow garment can be worn while sleeping and is reusable. There can be a fastener disposed on the exterior surface of the front member and both the shoulder and torso straps for adjustability thereto.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/871,111 filed on Aug. 28, 2014, entitled “Therapeutic Heart Pad.” Theabove identified patent application is herein incorporated by referencein its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to post-operative garments for use bypatients who are recovering from chest and/or abdominal surgery, and inparticular for those who are recovering from cardiovascular surgery suchas open heart surgery.

Patients who are recovering from surgery are often required tofrequently cough in order to help keep the lungs clear. However, thiscan be quite painful after having chest and/or abdominal surgery.Patients are thus directed to utilize a pillow over one's chest and/orabdominal region and apply moderate and firm pressure thereto whilecoughing, laughing, sneezing, and the like. This can help to applycompression to the incision and surgical wound area of the body toreduce pain and further injury.

Conventional methods of applying compression and/or pressure to one'schest to protect the incision area involve holding a therapeutic pillowagainst one's chest when coughing, laughing, sneezing and engaging inother chest and abdominal straining activities. This however isimpractical as it does not allow the patient to have access to thetherapeutic pillow when sleeping, walking, driving, traveling and thelike. Such pillows may be forgotten in one's home, lost or not bereadily available when quickly needed.

More practical classes of post-operative pillows provide body wornapparatuses with straps that allow the patient to wear the device at alltimes thus having readily available access to the therapeutic pillowwhen traveling and sleeping. Still, these body-worn pillow devices donot provide for a back pad or back portion that can rest against theuser's back and can cover the entire mid-section of the patient forapplying therapeutic pressure thereto by the user.

Accordingly, the present invention relates to a new and improvedpost-operative apparatus having two detachable members that incorporateadjustable shoulder and torso straps. The invention provides a frontmember and a rear member in order to provide a device that caneffectively protect and allow the patient to provide compression to theentire back and front mid-section of the patient's body if and/or whenneeded. The invention can extend from the clavicle to the navel on thefront side of a user and from the upper back to the lower back on theback side of the user. A soft stuffing material is incorporated thereinto allow for the user to apply pressure to the body thereto. Theinvention can be worn while sleeping, traveling and performing otheractivities and/or tasks.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate topost-operative garments and pillows. These include devices that havebeen patented and published in patent application publications. Thesedevices generally relate to post-operative garments or pillows whereinsome of these devices have straps and can be worn on the body of theuser. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to thepresent disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes ofhighlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the presentinvention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the priorart.

Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,790 to Rankin describes apost-operative vest intended for patients who are recovering fromabdominal surgery. The vest provides a centrally located pocket in whicha surgical pillow can be placed therein in order to apply pressure tothe surgical site. This enables the user to remain hands free whilehaving a surgical pillow securely placed over a surgical site. Thepresent invention however, provides a post-operative garment having anintegrated surgical pillow wherein the garment applies compression tothe thoracic, abdominal and chest region of the front and back side ofthe body.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,246 to Benedick discloses a chest pillow for use bya post-surgical patient that comprises a plate and padding that isenclosed in a fabric cover. The device provides separable straps inorder to hold the pillow in place over the chest area of the user. Thisdevice however, only provides one pillow for use with the front chestarea of the wearer and does not offer support for the back region of thewearer.

U.S. Pat. No. 20,120,291,187 to Hawthorne provides a blocking shield tobe worn over a person's chest that includes a pad cover that can be wornon a player's chest and affixed thereto via straps and buckles. Thedevice can be utilized by players when engaged in sports activities,such as football in order to provide a better training experience and tomaintain the shield in a secure position while allowing the player'shands to remain free. While this invention is helpful in the field ofsports activities, it is not conducive for post surgical patients whorequire a compressive device for aiding in recovery and pain relief.

U.S. Pat. No. 20,120,284,925 to Bennet allows for a rolling preventiondevice that provides a foam panel that can be placed on the back of aninfant via straps. The device can be used to promote crawling and toprevent the rolling of the infant onto his or her back. This devicehowever, does not provide a pillow compression garment that can beapplied to a post surgery patient without requiring him or her to lifttheir arms for placement thereon.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,613 to Yon describes a protective pad for use by apatient during the post-operative recovery period after open heartsurgery that comprises a heart-shaped body pillow having a soft stuffingmaterial therein. The patient can hold the device against his or herchest in order to protect the sternum, minimize discomfort, and avoidsternal malunions. This device however, does not provide straps in orderto allow the patient to remain hands free and conduct other tasks whilesimultaneously protecting his or her sternum.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,382,692 to Chao discloses a spine and neck supportdevice that is intended to support the cervical and upper thoracic spinewhile the user is in a cervical flexion position. The device can helpthe user with prevention of cervico-thoracic spine injuries as a resultof prolonged positions in neck flexion. This device however, offerslittle utility for users who have undergone cardiovascular or otherthoracic surgery and require the use of a compression pillow for thechest.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,617 to McNair provides a head and neck rest having asoft cushion and straps wherein the straps can be secured onto a seatbackrest of headrest of a vehicle in order to provide support to theuser. While this device is helpful for supporting the neck and headwhile riding in a vehicle, it is not structured or intended forsupporting and applying compression to patients who have undergone chestand/or abdominal surgery.

These prior art devices have several known drawbacks. The abovediscussed post-operative or therapeutic body devices do not provide fora body worn garment having detachable pieces and an integratedtherapeutic pillow that includes adjustable shoulder and torso straps.Further, the above devices do not provide for a post-operativetherapeutic apparatus that can extend from the clavicle to the navelregion and the upper back to the lower back of the patient and can beworn while sleeping.

It is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges indesign elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear thatthere is a need in the art for an improvement to existing post-operativetherapeutic devices and garments. In this regard the instant inventionsubstantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types ofpost-operative or post-surgical garments and pillows now present in theprior art, the present invention provides a new post-operative pillowgarment wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience forthe user during the recovery period after abdominal surgery, chestand/or thoracic surgery and in particular for cardiovascular surgerysuch as, open heart surgery.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved post-operative pillow garment device that has all of theadvantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide apost-operative pillow garment that can be worn on the body of the user.

It is another object of the present invention to provide apost-operative pillow garment for patients recovering from abdominalsurgery.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a post-operativepillow garment for patients recovering from chest surgery.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a post-operativepillow garment for patients recovering from thoracic surgery.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a post-operativepillow garment having detachable members.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a post-operativepillow garment that is padded.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a post-operativepillow garment that provides compression to the body of the wearer inorder to relieve pain after surgery thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a post-operativepillow garment that provides adjustable shoulder straps.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a post-operativepillow garment that provides adjustable torso straps.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a post-operativepillow garment that is machine washable.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide apost-operative pillow garment that is dryer machine compatible.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will beparticularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and mannerin which it may be made and used may be better understood after a reviewof the following description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the post-operative pillow garmentwherein the cutout area, adjustable shoulder straps and adjustable torsostraps having hook and loop fastening strips are shown.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the front member of the post-operativepillow garment wherein the cutout area, adjustable shoulder straps andadjustable torso straps having hook and loop fastening strips thereonare shown.

FIG. 3 shows a front view of the rear member of the post-operativepillow garment wherein the cutout area, adjustable shoulder straps andadjustable torso straps having hook and loop fastening strips thereonare shown.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like referencenumerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similarelements of the post-operative pillow garment. For the purposes ofpresenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, thepreferred embodiment will be discussed as used for therapeutic purposesfor providing compression and pain relief to the chest, back and abdomenof patients who have undergone surgery thereof. The figures are intendedfor representative purposes only and should not be considered to belimiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of thepost-operative pillow garment 1. The post-operative pillow garment 1comprises two detachable members 2, 3 that include a front member 2 anda rear member 3, wherein the front member 2 provides a first side 16, asecond side, a left, a right, an outer perimeter edge, a top and abottom and the rear member 3 provides a first side 18, a second side, aleft, a right, an outer perimeter edge, a top and a bottom. The frontmember 2 provides a cutout 4 area at the top thereof having two mutuallyopposing shoulder straps 6, 7 on either end thereof, wherein the strapsinclude a left shoulder strap 6 and a right shoulder strap 7. The rearmember 3 provides a cutout 5 area at the top thereof having two mutuallyopposing shoulder straps 9, 8 on either end thereof, wherein the strapsinclude a left shoulder strap 9 and a right should strap 8. Both theleft and right shoulder straps 9,8 of the front member 2 have hook andloop fasteners provided on the first side 16 of the front member 2, in apreferred embodiment, or can have other suitable fasteners, disposedthereon. Both the left and right shoulder straps 9, 8 of the rear member3 have hook and loop fasteners provided on the first side 18 of the rearmember 3, in a preferred embodiment, or other suitable fastener,disposed thereon.

The rear member 3 of the post-operative pillow garment 1 comprises torsostraps 20, 21, wherein the torso straps 20, 21extend laterallytherefrom. The left and right torso straps 20, 21 of the first side 18of the rear member 3 provides a plurality of horizontally positionedhook and loop fastening strips 12 thereon wherein the first side 16 ofthe front member 2 provides a plurality of horizontally positioned hookand loop fastening strips 10 thereon. The vertically positioned hook andloop fastening strips 12 of the torso straps 20, 21 located on the firstside 18 of the rear member 3 can be affixed to the plurality hook andloop fastening strips 10 of the first side 16 of the front member 2 thusforming a unitary structure and forming the post-operative pillowgarment 1. The torso straps 20, 21 of the rear member 3 provide anelongated structure that can extend therefrom wherein the user canmanually adjust the torso straps 20, 21 via pulling and fastening themto the hook and loop fastening strips 10 of the first side 16 of thefront member 2, in order to snugly and securely fit the user thereon.

The front member 2 extends from the user's clavicle area to the navel,wherein the cutout 4 area located at the top of the front member 2 restsagainst the user's clavicle and extends down the user's body whereby thebottom of the front member 2 terminates at the navel thus covering theuser's chest and abdominal cavity in its entirety. The front member 2provides curved areas along the outer perimeter edge located at the topthereof and adjacent to the left and right shoulder straps 6, 7 whereinthe curved areas conform to the natural contours of the front side ofthe human body and can rest beneath the front armpit area of the user.The rear member 3 provides curved areas along the perimeter edge locatedat the top thereof and adjacent to the left and right shoulder straps 9,8 wherein the curved areas conform to the natural counters of the backside of the human body and can rest against the back armpit area of theuser.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a front view of the front member2 of the post-operative pillow garment 1 comprising a first side 16 anda second side (not shown). The front member 2 provides a wearablegarment structure having left and right shoulder straps 6, 7 located atthe top area thereof and extending in a vertical fashion therefromwherein the left and right shoulder straps 6, 7 oppose one another in aparallel manner and are located on either side of the cutout area 4. Theuser can apply the post-operative pillow garment 1 to his or her personvia manually affixing the hook and loop fastening strips of the left andright shoulder straps 9, 8 of the first side 18 of the rear member 3 tothe hook and loop fastening strips of the left and right shoulder straps6, 7 of the first side 16 of the front member 2 thus forming the unitarystructure of the post-operative pillow garment 1. When thepost-operative pillow garment 1 has been applied to the user's person,the second side of the front member 2 rests against the chest andabdominal cavity of the user wherein the first side 18 of the rearmember 3 rests against the upper and lower back of the user thusproviding full covering to the user's front and back torso and midsection region.

The user can place the post-operative pillow garment 1 thereon via themeans described, wherein the user need not lift his or her arms in orderto place the post-operative pillow garment thereon. This is especiallyuseful for those who have undergone cardiovascular surgery such as openheart surgery, thoracic, back or abdominal surgery, where it can bepainful and unfeasible to lift one's arms thereafter. The front member 2of the post-operative pillow 1 garment can be filled with a softstuffing and/or padding wherein the stuffing and/or padding can include,but is not limited to foam, cotton, polyester or other suitable materialand can thus create a pillow like structure therein. The rear member 3can also be filled with a soft stuffing and/or padding that can includefoam, cotton, polyester or other suitable material, however the rearmember 3 can have substantially less filling than that of the frontmember 2 wherein the rear member 3 does not form a pillow like structuretherein. The user can utilize the device via placing one's arms againstthe exterior surface of the first side 16 of the front member 2, againsthis or her chest and/or abdominal cavity of the front member, and thusapplying pressure thereto when the user is coughing, sneezing laughing,walking and engaging in other activities that can cause pain and stressto the surgical wound region.

The first side 16 of the front member 2 of the post-operative pillowgarment 1 can include a heart-shaped emblem having an image of asimulated heart located therein, however there can be various designs,characters, shapes, colors, and other patterns thereon. Both the frontmember 2 and rear member 3 of the post-operative pillow garment 1 can bemachine washable and can be placed forthwith from the washing machineinto a dryer machine. The post-operative pillow apparatus 1 can be madefrom cotton, polyester, terry cloth, foam, nylon, fleece or othersuitable materials.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a front view of the rear member3 of the post-operative pillow garment 1 wherein the cutout 5 area,adjustable shoulder straps 9, 8 and adjustable torso straps 20, 21having hook and loop fastening strips 12 thereon. The rear member 3provides a wearable garment structure having left and right shoulderstraps 9, 8 located at the top area thereof and extending in a verticalfashion therefrom wherein the left and right shoulder straps 9, 8 opposeone another in a parallel manner and are located on either side of thecutout 5 area. The rear member 3 comprises curved areas intended toconform to the natural contours of the back side of the human bodywherein the curved areas are located at the outer perimeter edgeadjacent to the bottom edge of the rear member forming the corner inbetween the bottom edge and the left and right shoulder straps 9, 8.

The front member 2 and rear member 3 of the post-operative pillowgarment 1, when affixed to one another on the body of the patient, canbe worn while sleeping, walking, running, driving and engaging invarious activities. The post-operative pillow garment 1 acts as avest-like structure that enables the user to have a therapeutic pillowon one's person at all times when coughing, laughing, walking andengaging in other tasks that may cause stress and pressure to the chestand/or abdominal cavity.

The hook and loop fasteners 10 of the first side 16 of the front member2, the left and right shoulder straps 6, 7 of the first side 16 of thefront member 2, the left and right shoulder straps 9, 8 of the firstside 18 of the rear member 3 and the left and right torso straps 20, 21of the first side 20 of the rear member 3 are not limited to suchfastener and can be buttons, clips, magnets, carabineers and/or anyother suitable fastener.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown anddescribed in what is considered to be the most practical and preferredembodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be madewithin the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications willoccur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the abovedescription then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensionalrelationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations insize, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assemblyand use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in theart, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in thedrawings and described in the specification are intended to beencompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of theinvention.

I claim: 1) A post-operative pillow garment, comprising: a front member, said front member having a first side and a second side, a left, a right, a top and a bottom, and an outer perimeter edge; a rear member, said rear member having a first side and a second side, a left, a right, a top and a bottom, and an outer perimeter edge; said top of said front member having a cutout area; said top of said rear member having a cutout area; said top of said front member having mutually opposing left and right shoulder straps wherein said left and right shoulder straps are disposed on either side of said cutout; said top of said rear member having mutually opposing left and right shoulder straps wherein said left and right shoulder straps of said front member and said rear member are disposed on either side of said cutout thereof; said left and right shoulder straps of said front member having a fastener; said left and right shoulder straps of said top of said rear member having a fastener; said rear member having a left torso strap and a right torso strap, wherein said left torso strap laterally extends from said left side of said rear member and said right torso strap laterally extends from said right side of said rear member; said left torso strap and said right torso strap having a fastener on said first side of said rear member; 2) The post-operative pillow garment of claim 1, wherein said fastener of said first side of said front member further comprises a hook and loop fastener. 3) The post-operative pillow garment of claim 1, wherein said fastener of said left shoulder strap and said right shoulder strap of said front member further comprise a hook and loop fastener on said first side thereof. 4) The post-operative pillow garment of claim 1, wherein said fastener of said left shoulder strap and said right shoulder strap of said rear member further comprise a hook and loop fastener on said first side thereof. 5) The post-operative pillow garment of claim 1, wherein said fastener of said left torso strap and said right torso strap of said rear member further comprise a hook and loop fastener on said first side thereof. 6) The post-operative pillow garment of claim 1, wherein said bottom of said rear member further comprises curved areas on said left side and said right side. 7) The post-operative pillow garment of claim 1, wherein said top of said front member further comprises curved areas adjacent to said left and said right shoulder straps. 8) The post-operative pillow garment of claim 1, wherein said top of said rear member further comprises curved areas adjacent to said left and said right shoulder straps. 